Consumer Product Safety Commission launches crib safety campaign
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has launched a campaign to educate parents and caregivers on crib and sleep safety for infants. The campaign includes a video called "Safe Sleep for Babies" that aims to help new parents avoid suffocation, strangulation and entrapment risks in babies' sleep environments.

The CPSC's education campaign is part of the agency's Safe Sleep Initiative, which seeks to reduce injuries and fatalities associated with unsafe sleep environments. The Safe Sleep Initiative's efforts include public education, the development of new crib standards and warning about cribs, sleep positioners, infant slings and other potentially dangerous products.

The CPSC's crib-safety campaign was launched the same day that the agency announced recalls of more than 40,000 drop-side cribs by three different companies. Drop-side cribs pose particular safety risks because their moving parts may become loose or fall out and create a gap between the drop side and the mattress that can trap or suffocate an infant.

According to the CPSC, there have been more than 30 crib-related fatalities and hundreds of injuries. About one-third of the fatalities were caused by structural failures of cribs, while a majority were attributed to extra bedding in the crib.

Wrongful Death Claims

The loss of an infant is tragic, especially when it is due to the poor design or manufacture of a crib. Parents who have lost a child because of a defective crib may have a legal claim for damages in a wrongful death lawsuit.

In a wrongful death lawsuit, the immediate family members of a victim may sue the person or entity responsible for the victim's death and obtain compensation for their loss. The family members may sue the designer, manufacturer or seller of the dangerous product for damages, including:
- Medical and funeral expenses
- Loss of expected future earnings
- The survivors' mental anguish or pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship

Certain time restrictions called the statute of limitations limit the time family members have to file a lawsuit, so it is important to promptly contact a wrongful death attorney after a fatal accident. If you have lost a child in a crib accident, contact a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer in your area to discuss any legal claims you may have.

Source: Miller Law Inc.
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